Escape the daily grind and venture into Oregon’s untouched wilderness for a backpacking adventure! Over four days, we’ll traverse a 30-mile portion of the Pacific Crest Trail, the most trodden path of the West, and camp out in the backcountry. If you’ve never spent a night in the wilderness yet, don’t worry—we’re here to teach you all the basics, Leave No Trace principles, and more! The path is as scenic as it gets, and all that’s required is that you’re fit enough to cover up to 10 miles a day. The rewards? Views of the celestial Mt. Hood, dips in crystalline lakes, strolling through meadows flooded with wildflowers… It’s an experience that will stick with you for life! If you’d rather be in the company of like-minded adventurous women, check out our all-women backpacking tour through the Pacific Crest Trail.
Get a taste of the Pacific Crest Trail, a footpath along West Coast’s backbone, and learn the ropes of backpacking along the way. Over the course of 4 days, you’ll hike through a 30-mile portion of the Cascade’s subdued volcanic landscape with a stellar view of Oregon’s largest and most active volcano: Mt. Hood. Apart from gaining crucial skills for backpacking in the wilderness, you’ll have plenty of time to relax in the lake, smell the wildflowers, and pick blueberries.
Meet your guide and the rest of your group at your guide’s office at 7 am. You’ll get transported to the trailhead. Your PCT adventure begins!
Meals: Lunch and dinner
Although the Pacific Crest Trail stretches from Mexico to Canada, you’ll only be doing a 25-40-mile portion of it (40-48 km). Enjoy the views of Mt. Hood as you traverse lush temperate rainforests, and take a dip in the lake upon reaching your campsite for the night. Your guides will teach you the basics of backpacking: preparation and planning, wilderness survival essentials, Leave No Trace principles, campsite selection and setup, backcountry nutrition, bear-safe food storage methods, and more!
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Tread the last few miles of the trail until you reach the point where you can get transported back to the city. Say goodbye to your guide and your team. If you’d like to stay a bit longer in the area, just ask your guides for some recommendations!
Meals: Breakfast
This was a wonderful way to feel more confident backpacking. It was a lot of work and very rewarding. I had Alexis as my guide. She was helpful and full of information. Always watchful if you needed help, there to answer any questions (and we had a lot), connected with each of us. I was a single traveler. I felt very comfortable and included in all aspects of the trip. The portion of the PCT we did was spectacular.
What you get on this adventure:
What’s not included:
While no backpacking experience is necessary, good physical fitness is a must! Participants must be able to hike up to 10 miles a day up moderate inclines while carrying a 40lb (or heavier) pack. Your guides will teach you everything you need to know about backpacking. The importance of proper physical training cannot be emphasized enough! By arriving with your heart, lungs, and legs in top condition, you maximize your potential for a backpacking trip and your ability to enjoy the wilderness.
You’ll be carrying group gear to ensure a safe and successful adventure. Part of backpacking is learning what you do and don’t need, and your guides are here to help you finetune your pack load so it will be manageable for you to carry on your adventure. Group gear will be an additional 5-10 lb to your pack. Keep in mind that you’ll also be carrying your own tent, sleeping bag/pads, clothing, backpack, etc.
There are several routes your guides have in mind, some totally beginner-friendly, some a bit more intermediate. So if you’re looking for a challenge, there will be a route for you!
Backpacking gear
Clothing (all clothing should be synthetic or wool)
Personal items
Optional items (remember that the more you bring, the more weight that you are carrying on your back, don’t underestimate how every little ounce begins to add up!)
Of course! You’ll need to bring your own backpack, sleeping bag, and pad, and if you don’t have your own, there are plenty of rental companies in Portland—the starting point of your tour. You can rent from LowerGear Rentals, Mountain Shop, Portland Paddle, or any other rental company in Portland. Make sure you make arrangements in time. Contact us if you need any help!
All meals from lunch on Day 1 to breakfast on Day 4 are included, including snacks.
Your guides will provide a combination of meals cooked from scratch and pre-packaged trail meals and snacks. Upon booking, you will be provided with a waiver where you can notify them of your allergies and dietary restrictions. You are welcome to bring as much of your own food for the trip, as well as any other personal gear related to food preparation.
Service dogs are welcome on this trip, but just a heads up—weather and trail conditions could be challenging for canine companions.
Generally, non-service dogs are only allowed on private trips, and accommodation cannot be guaranteed for a non-service canine. We are happy to discuss this with you, but the final decision on non-service canines would be dependent on the safety and comfort of our guides and other trip participants.
Finally, your guides cannot take responsibility for the safety and comfort of dogs with respect to the outdoor elements.
Group sizes and prices:
Hiking the Pacific Crest Trail can be arranged for larger groups. Contact us to make arrangements.
If you’re looking to join an all-women version of this trip, check out our all-women backpacking along the Pacific Crest Trail.
Min. age requirements:
If your group has hikers under the age of 18, contact us prior to booking to make arrangements.
To get to Portland, Oregon, most people fly into Portland International Airport (PDX). From there, you have a 15-minute drive to your guide’s office in Troutdale.
You’ll meet your guide and your fellow backpackers at 7 am on Day 1 at the guide’s office, 121 E Historic Columbia River Hwy, Troutdale, OR 97060. Their office entrance is located below and behind the storefronts in downtown Troutdale. Turn left off the main street immediately after the “Gateway to the Gorge” arch to access the lower parking lot.
We highly recommend that you cover all your bases with both emergency medical and travel insurance.
With medical insurance, if you have an accident or medical emergency on or off the mountain, you’ll avoid paying out of pocket for costly expenses. This covers everything from hospital treatments to emergency air transportation and more. Travel insurance covers canceled flights, natural disasters and other scenarios that may interrupt your travel plans.
If you need assistance selecting the right insurance for your group, let us know and we will be happy to help!
You can secure one of the set dates with a 30% deposit upon booking. The remaining 70% of the trip price is to be paid 90 days prior to departure, at the latest. Booking fees are non-refundable in all cases. This is the following cancellation and refund policy:
If you book a private tour, a 30% deposit is to be paid upon booking. The remaining 70% of the trip price is to be paid 90 days prior to departure, at the latest. Booking fees are non-refundable in all cases. For private tours, this is the following cancellation and refund policy:
Early Bird booking
Want to be the first one to know when we publish new dates or secure your spot well in advance? Select a future month that suits you best and lock in your Early Bird spot in time with just a 10% deposit.
As soon as our guides publish new tour dates, you’ll be the first one to know. We’ll hold your spot for 2 weeks until you choose the date that suits you best.
More about how Early Bird bookings work below:
